So last night I had my smoked salmon on cream cheese on a bagel topped with onions...oooooooooooo sooooooo gooooooood

infact ...I am having it again for lunch

Hey Miki..you are right...I hear my bike calling...its getting mad and loud so I best go use it tonight...thanks for reminding me.

well I am drawing a blank so I will post back later or tomorrow and let you know how i am doing with the exercising.

later

Cyan

Hi ladies,

Today was a pretty good day...Jake had a playdate and while he was with his friend I was able to clean up the dining room. I also did 5 loads of wash and cleaned some of the wood work.

I skipped breakfast and for lunch took the kids to KFC. I had a flour torilla with chicken, lettuce and tomato and only ate half. I was really good this afternoon and did not have my afternoon chocolate fix. Dinner tonight is filet mignon with onion, peppers and rice. I am just going to have a small portion.

Hopefully, tonight I can try to clean up the play room although I love watching the show extreme makeover...it's about real people who get made over...everything, liposuction, nosejobs, breast implants, its on ABC at 8p.m.

Miki, I agree with you it helps to get on fitday and record what you eat every day.

Cyan, is there a Costco near you ? They have great salmon there.

Newie, just take it one day at a time. Don't worry things will work out.

Hello everyone!

Debee, I am so excited about the show! Be sure to let us know all the details as soon as you find out everything. I love that extreme makeover show also. I keep trying to get someone to write and tell them I need help! I could keep them busy for sure.

Cyan, can you believe I've never tried smoked salmon?? Maybe I'll try it soon and love it as much as hummus.

Newie, you're never a burden to us. Vent all you want--that's what we're here for. And we'll be here too when you come to tell us about that great new job dh is going to get soon.

I ate too much tonite and didnt exercise but I havent missed a day in a long time and just felt like a break. I'll be back to it tomorrow, I promise.

Bye for now..

Miki

Hi, everyone--I am feeling pretty good this morning. Yesterday was a good food and exercise day--also better mentally. Thanks for all your support, especially your comments, Debee and Miki.

I completely finished Veronica's room with the sponge painting. It is so beautiful--I wish I could send a picture! We live in an old cape cod style house, and the area is upstairs. The ceilings are slanted with a short, flat area in the middle. The background is white--dawning the actual color--white with a rose cast. Over it I sponged with pink and blue. Where wall meets ceiling, I painted a 6-inch blue border which I sponged with stars of three different sizes in three different colors--pink from the wall, a darker pink, and a darker blue. The ceilings are still white. Carpet is coming Wednesday. It is pink. I've done three more rooms upstairs in similar ways over the past three years--Kathleen's room is sponged pink, mint green, and white--with flowers in her mint green border and darker pink accents on border. (I still have to finish the accents--rather tedious handpainting.) The bath is white sponged in pink with a white vinyl floor and picket fence/flower border around top. The final room (my craft/sewing room) isn't sponged (some calmness is needed somewhere) but painted a paler pink with pink border sponged with hearts of various sizes and coordinating pinks--hearts are my favorite symbols in the world. It's definitely a girls' place. Even my husband is impressed with the look of the area, though he always worried when I started on a room because I was never quite sure how it would turn out in the end.

Last night we signed the final papers on our home equity line of credit. Today our mortgage will be paid off, and money to pay for the carpet has been released. That is one burden off my heart--someday, when hubby has a new job and is well established in it, we will tell our banker friend what we went through as this arrangement was finalized. At least now there will be only one bill each month, which I know we can manage. Thank You, Lord. Another blessing is this: As I mentioned yesterday, I grew up with money always being a tight thing. My husband always had plenty of money, so never felt the need to watch the pennies. In our 14 years of marriage, that difference has always been an issue, though we never spent uncontrollably or excessively. I always had trouble getting him to wait to buy things, and somehow it was easier for me to be more like him than to fight him. He told me last night that he understands now what being frugal is about--that I have taught him that. I am so glad. I have expressed to him my determination never to be in debt again, and he agrees with me. I don't think his cooperation will be too difficult to get in the future.

Yesterday hubby got a call from one of the companies he followed up on. Unfortunately he was taking his mother to dr. so he wasn't home, but man gave me instructions when to call back today. He also wrote a letter to another company he is interested in working for--it was a beautiful letter, must have been divinely inspired. Today he wants to write one to another company and follow up on another application. I feel blessed by how he is handling each day--very different than he has ever been in this situation--I am praying so much--I think my prayers are being answered. Also, yesterday I found a job loss support site with a forum where there was a thread for spouses of unemployed people. It was very helpful, and I will return to it regularly. Also, I was drawn to a spiritual book my mother-in-law gave me several years ago that I could not ever get interested in before. I had met the author, the late Catholic Archbishop Cardinal Joseph Bernadine of Chicago, so I knew whose ideas I would be reading. When I started this book yesterday, I was amazed at how suddenly easy it was for me to read. The title was The Gift of Peace, and it was about how to deal with the adversity and pain of life through a Catholic Christian perspective. It was his spiritual memoir of the last three years of his life. If any of you heard in the papers, he was falsely accused of sexual abuse and then contracted terminal pancreatic cancer, from which he died in November 1996. He was someone who touched me during his life, and I was deeply touched and inspired by his book. By the way, I finished it early this morning. It gave me peace. The ideas and faith in that book will be very helpful to me for the rest of my life.

Well, I think it's time for me to go. I have to finish the rest of my on-line stuff. We try not to tie up the phone lines during the day. Have a happy Halloween, everyone. I'll be in touch soon.

Hey Ladies...its friiiiiiiiiiiiiday...need I say more?

I might be going to a halloween party if I feel up to it...but tomorrow I am going to a thai restaurant and a movie with the architect guy I told you about earlier....I also invited our mutual friend too...like I said earlier, I am in no rush.

Hey Debbie...Yes there is a costco...several..and you read my mind...I am off to Costco this weekend to get me some smoked salmon in industrial quantities....

Hey Miki you must must try smoked salmon...try it on a bagel with light cream cheese , onions and capers...devine!! Or my favorite...you start off with a lettuce leaf, you put a thinly sliced salmon layer, you add feta cheese and stuffed olives and then you roll it up all into a bite size...maybe two bite sizes ....I tell you...it is sooooooooooo good...you will love it. They make great hoeur-d'oeuvres for any ocaision and they are atkins and soutbeach diet friendly. I use light feta cheese


It looks like this saturday in particular is gonna filled with restaurant meals...in the morning I am going to a breakfast brunch...then I am going to a friend's house to paint her face for halloween...its been a tradition of ours for the last three years...she is this really cool older lady and I think the world of her and her husband...who is in his late 60's and has survived lung cancer and a heart attack...he just keeps on ticking. Then I will go to dinner and a movie with Anita and Richard...geez...what a day.

Well looks like I am off to start my day at work. Have a great day and weekend everyone

Cyan

Hello Ladies!

I just couldn't stay away!!! I so miss you all and I was given one of the biggest incentives this month, and now the questions is, Can I DO IT???????????????

Congrats to you all who are losing and breaking that plateau!! How incredible is that feeling??????

Lisa, congrats on the new job! I hope all goes well with the hernia situation!

Well, I have to tell someone, I have received confirmation that I will be celebrating Xmas this year with my half-brother and his family. I haven't seen him since I was 6 years old.... I am so excited that I immediately have given myself a goal of, I know, I have heard myself say this before, but I have to give myself something to go on.
I want to lost 10 - 15lbs by Xmas! I need to feel good about myself when I see him. I don't want to be self-conscious about myself...So after this big candy day, I am starting... I don't know what, I think I will start with a cleansing and then work from there. I always need to jumpstart my body with a shock treatment. Low calorie diet then change as needed.

I want to thank you all for being there when I am down. You don't know how much that means to me. I have had some massive ups & downs this year, and you all stood by me.

Wish me luck, I really want this to be a great christmas, so I am going to get tough on myself to make sure it is...

Have a great Halloween Ladies.....

Reina

Reina!!! So glad you're back with us!! I meant to send you an e-card to let you know how much we miss you but as usual my good intentions didnt get carried thru...sorry,... but I really have thought of you often. We will work on this together...my goal also is to lose at least 10 lbs by Christmas. That is not an unreasonable goal so let's do it!! How cool that you'll be seeing your brother again after so long!

Newie, sounds like things are looking up already. I'm really glad to hear it. Just keep your faith...things are going to work out fine, I just know it. Your house sounds beautiful.

Cyan, extra busy weekend for you. Have fun and fill us in on all the details. Sounds like lots of fun.

Exercised plenty today but still a little high on calories. I gotta get rid of this Halloween candy! ( and Not by eating it)

Well, gotta run. Both kids are gone tonite so hubby and I have the house to ourselves. Hooray!

Have a great weekend, all.

MIKI

ahh its monday again! I had a nice weekend...saturday was busy and the dinner movie thing with my new friend went very well...the more time I spend with him, the more I like him...so thats coming along nicely.

I am doing well in the food department not counting saturday...I went to a breakfast buffet and then a thai dinner...no lunch! thank goodness for that.

Hey Reina...glad you are back with us and ready to shed some pounds! Its great having a goal to work towards. I am planning on losing 10 pounds by christmas...as usual...I am still plugging away at it.

Newie..hope things are going well with the job search.

Debbie...how are you doing? Let us know

Lisa...how are you doing...the pregnancy?

Miki..did you enjoy having the house to yourself?

hey Taiwan..hope things are going well for you too.

Well its monday so I best get back to work

later

Cyan

Hi ladies,

Reina, I am so glad you are back! You were one of the main reasons I got motivated last year to lose weight. We can both help each other get motivated. remeber everytime you want a bite of something off your diet just think of all of us sitting on your shoulder. Take a moment and try to think of what each of us would say to you....you might be able to find the willpower to just put it down.

Cyan, sounds like this guy make just be a keeper! What are you going to do for a follow-up? Why don't you invite him to your house for dinner? Maybe an indoor winter picnic...some wine, a fire and of course sushi!

Newie, it sounds like tolove to decoate as much as I do! I am always redoing something in the house. My last big project was our art deco movie themed basement.

Lisa, how all is well and you don't have morning sickness.

Miki, did you get rid of the candy...my kids counted theirs last night..Jimmy got 162 pieces and Jake 135. I have almost three pieces of candy in my house!!!

Something's burning....post later

Hi,

Ok I'm back...

Some pasta just burned.

I just read my previous post..I really need to proofread before submitting or at least not try to type and do ten other things at the same time!


Halloween was great we went trick or treating with the neighbors and then went to a friends house for more trick and treating...one house in her neighborhood rents a cotton candy machine and gives it out as a treat...too much candy and wine.

Sunday was a beautiful day and I did lawn work and cleaned the shed. Jimmy's boys night out party was at 5 p.m. and I had a group of his friends over to watch ghostbusters and have pizza. Afterwards we had a mini firework display.

Hi, all--I'm doing ok, I guess. I have a lot of ups and downs in the day, so I guess it depends on when someone asks me how I'm doing. Not much news on hubby's job search--a promising lead turned out not to be what he had hoped. There is another person he followed up with who he hopes will call him. I try not to get too excited--don't want to be disappointed. If the call comes, it will be this week, the person told him. I'll let you all know. I'm subbing tomorrow for the third grade--my Kathleen's class. It is her 9th birthday tomorrow. We were planning to take cupcakes as treats. This way I'll get to see the whole experience. I've finished all the painting on the upstairs rooms, thank God--I was really sick of painting stripes and flower centers with a Crayola watercolor brush. Kathleen's room really looks good, though, as does the rest of the space upstairs. Tomorrow when I am at school, hubby will take up the area rugs we've had on the bare underlayment for about a year and remove any small pieces of furniture. He then will vacuum the whole upstairs. Wednesday the carpet will be here. I walked my laps today--rain and all. Halloween candy has been calling me a bit, but I am only answering once in a while--like maybe one or two pieces a day. I recall that in past years, that would make me gain, and I don't want to mess up my success this year. Later this week I may meet my mother--she lives about 25 miles from me, and I don't see her as often as I'd like--it's an hour drive each way--at a nice thrift store she frequents. I told her I had lost some weight and that a lot of my clothes are too big. I can't afford to buy new clothes now, so I figured I might be able get a few secondhand things. When I lost weight the first time 18 years ago, that's what I did because I needed a whole new wardrobe. I bought all these great designer jeans for next to nothing. It will be good to go out. I need to get out of the house. She also invited me to help her with her craft booth at a craft fair she entered on the 15th. I'm looking forward to it.

Anyway, there's not really much else to report. I've got to check on the oven. I've got a chocolate cake and cupcakes in there. More soon.

winter is around the corner...today I saw my first flakes of the season albeit a little frozen they were...more along the lines of freezing rain...hohum...I guess its time to get into the spirit of christmas and winter.

I have been doing great with the eating...but I must say, not so great with the exercising, I am in this rut and I cant get motivated...ugh! I will try and try again...hopefully tonight by bike will call me...let's hope.

Debee..yeah this guy has promise but I wont be inviting anybody home because my mother has alzheimers and its too uncomfortable to have new people over. But, he does have a great loft house...its right out of the pages of a magazine...very beautiful.

Hey Newie...have fun shoping and how cool...you gotta get new stuff cause yours are too big...what an acomplishment...keep going!

well I best get going on my work...later ladies

Cyan

Hello everyone

Cyan, happy to hear the movie and dinner with your new friend went well. I hope it turns out to be something more than just friends in the future. I cant believe you've already seen snow! It has been 90 degrees again here the last 2 afternoons. Definitely not winter weather yet for us.

Newie, sounds like even with your ups and downs, things are going well for you so far. It's cool that you are going to be subbing for your daughter and able to spend the day with her on her birthday. And buying new clothes, even if they're just new to you, will surely lift your spirits. I love to find second-hand bargains.

Debee, I like your posts just the way they are...no need to proofread. I always get a good laugh plus it's nice to know I'm not the only one who is a little ditzy at times (we're both blondes, ya know..lol) Still candy here too but so far so good...I've had a piece or two occasionally but am doing fairly well from overdoing it.

Still exercising every day so far and my eating has improved this week. Hopefully I'll keep it up.

Reina, Lisa, and Taiwan...hope you ladies are doing well. Come post when you can...we miss ya!

Miki

its hump day! My boss is taking all his employees to the movies today ...after work...to go see Matrix Revolutions! He wants to treat us geek techies for a job well done...so who am I to disagree...to the movies we shall go.

well I gotta get going on the job so talk to you later

cyan

Hi, all--carpet installers are upstairs--have been pounding and slamming for three hours. What I've seen is very pretty. I had a difficult morning today--with all that is going on with hubby, the telephone was dead this morning. It's fixed now (how would I be doing this if it wasn't?), but not fixed till 3:00 this afternoon. Yesterday was pretty interesting in the third grade. Kids don't listen like I remember. My voice was hoarse at the end of the day. Still I was glad to be there. Got to go--carpet men will want money soon. Bye for now.